Best Coalition Player Podcasts (2025)

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'We are already in a hybrid war with Russia': EU Commissioner Dombrovskis 11:58

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2d ago11:58

11:58

We sit down with Valdis Dombrovskis, EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and a former prime minister of Latvia. He comments on the recent drone incursions into EU airspace. He also discusses France's budget deficit, which is around 5.4 percent of GDP, meaning it is well over the criteria set out in the EU's Stability Pact.…

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How is France's budget crisis affecting the EU? Concerns mount over French instability 12:43

2d ago12:43

12:43

We sit down with two MEPs to discuss France's ballooning debt and deficit, both of which are much higher than the limits set out in the EU's Stability Pact. France being the second-largest economy in the EU, its current political and economic instability could also have an impact on the other member states. So how concerned should Europe be? Progra…

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Why Germany won't recognize Palestine (yet) 45:15

3d ago45:15

45:15

157 UN member states have recognized Palestine as a state. Not Germany. Or not yet? The German government says it supports a two-state solution, but it insists that recognition must come at the end of a peace process—not before. So what's standing in the way? To unpack Germany’s delicate balancing act, host Nina Haase is joined by DW’s Sarah Hofman…

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Escalating trouble – Trump takes on the UN and Europe 33:24

3d ago33:24

33:24

Trump says Ukraine can win — but should Europe believe him? At a hectic U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S. President Donald Trump stunned world leaders with a dramatic rhetorical reversal on the war in Ukraine, mocking Russia as a “paper tiger” and urging NATO allies to shoot down Russian aircraft. Host Sarah Wheaton unpacks what this means wi…

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Already Won - Fostance Mtolo - S4:E3 33:19

6d ago33:19

33:19

Send us a text Fostance Mtolo is our Sports Friends Malawi team leader. He’s been leading the work in Malawi since 2012 when the ministry began. He’s married to Esnart and has two children Ruth and Naomi. Fostance is a Pastor and big Manchester United and Nyasa Big Bullets supporter. #AlreadyWon #Sports Friends #MoreThanGold Follow us: YouTube Face…

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Authoritarian regimes in the Council of Europe believe they can do anything: PACE chief Rousopoulos 12:36

10d ago12:36

12:36

We sat down with Theodoros Rousopoulos, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the continent’s oldest political body. The assembly, also known as PACE, is sometimes called the driving force of the whole organisation, bringing together parliamentary delegations from 46 member states. But is this parliamentary diplomacy…

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38 years of Erasmus+: Europe’s flagship youth initiative under review 11:51

10d ago11:51

11:51

As the academic year begins, many students will embark on what has become a rite of passage: studying abroad for part of their course. However, the Erasmus+ programme is not limited to university undergraduates and postgraduates. Since its expansion in 2014, apprentices, trainers, job-seekers, and others have also benefited from these international…

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Jourová’s secrets and Putin’s drone tests 42:18

10d ago42:18

42:18

From rule of law battles to inside stories, Věra Jourová looks back on a decade in the Berlaymont. The former European Commission vice president recalls her clashes and alliances in Brussels — from sparring with Frans Timmermans to discovering that Thierry Breton never laughed at her jokes. Now back in Prague as vice rector of Charles University an…

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Why Germany needs to reform its social security system 35:39

11d ago35:39

35:39

Germany’s social security system is under pressure - from rising costs, an aging population, and political deadlock. In this episode, DW’s Michaela Küfner discusses with Prof. Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln (WZB), and DW’s Matthew Moore - whether Germany can still afford its welfare state in the long term and whether Friedrich Merz’s coalition will agree o…

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Already Won - Parker Byrd - S4:E2 32:46

13d ago32:46

32:46

Send us a text Parker is currently a Junior at East Carolina University. As an infielder/right-handed pitcher for the Pirates, he lost his right leg in a boating accident in 2022. He underwent 22 surgeries as a result - and became the first person to play in Division I baseball with a prosthetic leg. Son of Jeff and Mitzi Byrd. 2x ECU Director of A…

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'We remain a country with a strong attractiveness': French High Commissioner for Planning Beaune 12:34

17d ago12:34

12:34

Amid the doom and gloom about France's political crisis and the public deficit, our guest maintains that the country is still economically attractive and still the second power in the European Union. Clément Beaune is France's High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning, a former secretary of state for European Affairs and a former minister-delegat…

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'We remain a country with a strong attractiveness': French High Commissioner for Planning Beaune 12:33

17d ago12:33

12:33

Amid the doom and gloom about France's political crisis and the public deficit, our guest maintains that the country is still economically attractive and still the second power in the European Union. Clément Beaune is France's High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning, a former secretary of state for European Affairs and a former minister-delegat…

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Under pressure, EU's von der Leyen gives key speech: Did State of the Union deliver? 11:57

17d ago11:57

11:57

It was a keenly awaited speech and the theatrics did not disappoint. Boos and heckles punctuated EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's key address of this new political season, the 2025 State of the Union. At one point the president of the European Parliament had to intervene and threaten some of the more vocal MEPs with expulsion from the…

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Will Europe stand up to Putin's latest provocation? 44:34

17d ago44:34

44:34

A “serious threat to peace” – that’s how Poland sees Russia’s largest drone incursion into its air space so far. German Chancellor Merz agrees. But what will NATO, what will the EU do in response? DW's political quartet including host Michaela Küfner, Nina Haase, Roman Goncharenko and Teri Schultz explore what options NATO and Europe now have.…

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Ursula’s Fight Song — who’s singing along? 38:44

17d ago38:44

38:44

“Europe is in a fight.” With those words, Ursula von der Leyen set the tone for her State of the European Union speech — framing this as Europe’s “Independence Moment.” She proposed sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers over Gaza; floated using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine; and backed calls for a drone wall to protect the bloc's eastern fla…

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Is the EU a strategic powerhouse or an ineffectual player? 12:02

20d ago12:02

12:02

European political leaders tried to switch off for a few weeks in August, but they must have had a lot on their minds. Russian forces have advanced in the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine. A summit in Alaska between the Russian and American presidents set off alarm bells in Kyiv and in the EU. And members of European governments are smarting from a trade…

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Is the EU a strategic powerhouse or an ineffectual player? 11:54

20d ago11:54

11:54

European political leaders tried to switch off for a few weeks in August, but they must have had a lot on their minds. Russian forces have advanced in the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine. A summit in Alaska between the Russian and American presidents set off alarm bells in Kyiv and in the EU. And members of European governments are smarting from a trade…

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Already Won - Welcome Back: More Than Gold! - S4:E1 23:19

20d ago23:19

23:19

Send us a text Welcome back to Season 4 of Already Won, the Sports Friends podcast! This year’s theme is More than Gold—stories of faith, purpose, and victory that last beyond the game. You’ll hear from our special guests, powerful testimonies of athletes, coaches and leaders who faced real challenges, and life lessons that go deeper than the score…

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'The weakening of France has a spillover effect on the EU': Spain's ex-FM Gonzalez 11:54

24d ago11:54

11:54

As the EU political season gets back into full swing, member states are confronted by daunting challenges. In the last few days, they have revisited the thorny question of providing security guarantees to Ukraine – which, of course, means dealing with the notoriously mercurial US president, Donald Trump. Transatlantic tensions are obvious, both pol…

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The Trump effect: Why Germany and India are getting closer 31:33

24d ago31:33

31:33

India and Germany have been hit hard by Trump – with India blasted by super-high tariffs and Germany bending over backwards to keep Trump happy. For both countries, closer relations with each other could be part of the answer. Could Berlin and Delhi finally make this happen? Or will Russia or Pakistan get in the way? Richard Walker, Biresh Banerjee…

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Tyrants are forever: Has Europe missed its moment? 36:20

24d ago36:20

36:20

Under the jackhammers on Schuman, Brussels is filling back up for the rentrée — and the fault lines are showing. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by colleagues Clea Caulcutt, Nick Vinocur and Paul Dallison to unpack a cliff-edge week: France’s confidence vote on an austerity budget that could topple Prime Minister François Bayrou and push Paris back in…

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Limping through the Trump era: Can Europe lead again? 36:55

1M ago36:55

36:55

From a picturesque mountain resort in Austria, at the European Forum Alpbach, host Sarah Wheaton unpacks fresh threats by the U.S. to hit countries with tariffs over their digital rules — drawing instant reactions from the European Commission’s Sabine Weyand and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. She then sits down with former Spanish Foreign Minister…

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Is Germany changing its strategic thinking? New security council explained 37:31

1M ago37:31

37:31

The German government, facing rising tensions from Russia, China, Iran, and other actors, has approved a National Security Council (NSC) under Chancellor Merz’s new strategy to streamline security policy and crisis decisions. In this Berlin Briefing episode, DW’s Nina Haase discusses the NSC’s role with Marcus Pindur (German public radio) and Sarah…

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Why Europe shouldn’t get too excited over Trump’s peace drive 26:52

1M ago26:52

26:52

In this episode, Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton tells DW’s top correspondents Michaela Küfner and Nina Haase why the question of security guarantees for Ukraine is as urgent as it is spooky for Germany and Europe. This episode was recorded on August 21, less than 24 hours before FBI agents searched John Bolton's Maryland home.…

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EU's sweaty summer — what you missed (and what matters) 33:18

1M ago33:18

33:18

Just when we thought we could get a break for the summer, geopolitics had other plans. This week on EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO colleagues Jordyn Dahl, Gabriel Gavin and Jan Cienski for a catch-up on what moved while the bubble was at the beach. From Alaska to the White House: Did anything real shift on Ukraine beyond …

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The Merz era: What has he achieved? Where is he failing? 49:22

2M ago49:22

49:22

Germany’s new government came in 100 days ago pledging to master the biggest challenges facing the country: a stagnant economy, weak defense, and deep divisions over immigration. Above all, it promised to end the infighting that blew up the previous government. So is it working? In this episode, Richard Walker, Michaela Küfner, and Stephan Detjen b…

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Is mandatory military service on its way back in Germany? 41:09

2M ago41:09

41:09

The German government says it aims to build up Europe’s strongest conventional army, but is facing a shortage of personnel. Conscription was suspended in 2011 and now plans to bring it back in are on the table. Who's going to be affected? Will women serve? And amid rising tensions with Russia, how prepared is Germany? DW’s Nina Haase talks to Micha…

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EU-US trade deal: Disaster for the German economy? 39:09

2M ago39:09

39:09

In Germany there’s massive criticism of the new US-EU trade agreement, with opponents saying it’s deeply unfair. If that’s true, why did Europe sign it? Can German carmakers cope with high US tariffs as well as mounting competition from China? In this episode of Berlin Briefing, Richard Walker explores with Marie Sina from DW’s business desk and th…

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Escape the EU Bubble: Expert Summer Book Picks 35:28

2M ago35:28

35:28

This week, we’re taking a breath. EU Confidential is stepping away from summits, trade battles, and late-night trilogues — and turning to something more refreshing: books. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by audio producer (and self-confessed book nerd) Dionisios Sturis for this special summer reading edition. From sharp political non-fiction to playfu…

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Talking Europe: Highlights from the 2024-2025 season 12:43

2M ago12:43

12:43

As this political season draws to a close, we bring you a showcase of our interviews with Europe's movers and shakers. They broach the top issues that have dominated the agenda over the past year, from competitiveness and simplification to corporate responsibility; from disinformation to "Choose Europe" for research and innovation; and, of course, …

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How the far-right AfD fuelled a campaign of division 33:31

2M ago33:31

33:31

The deliberate spread of false information just handed the far right a big win. The vote on a new set of constitutional court judges was postponed. One candidate has been left damaged. We speak to Philipp Sälhoff, who heads a think tank that showed how a post by the far-right AfD party went on to fuel a campaign of disinformation and how this has b…

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We could withdraw from the von der Leyen coalition: Renew chief Valérie Hayer 12:40

2M ago12:40

12:40

The coalition of Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament is holding up, but it is looking increasingly fragile. Centrist, Socialist and Green members of that coalition are deeply troubled by what they see as an alignment between the conservative European People's Party (EPP) and the far right. And they say they want the EU Commission presid…

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EU encourages sustainable journeys by rail: Are trains the future of travel? 12:07

2M ago12:07

12:07

The EU is aiming to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and triple it by 2050. But harmonising rail networks across the continent is easier said than done. While some cross-border routes have opened in 2025, other projects have been hampered by a lack of infrastructure or investment, as well as vested interests in the EU member states. Our panel…

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The €2 trillion question: Inside the battle over the EU's budget 38:11

2M ago38:11

38:11

Trillions of euros, almost as many priorities — and just over two years to agree. The European Commission has unveiled its sweeping new seven-year budget proposal, and the fight over where the money goes is already heating up. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s Gregorio Sorgi and Bartosz Brzeziński to break down the big winners and losers i…

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How a routine vote blew up German politics 48:47

2M ago48:47

48:47

Germany’s coalition is grappling with its first crisis, with infighting over the nomination of a new judge to its highest court that has exploded with culture war themes ranging from abortion to COVID and the AfD. In this edition of Berlin Briefing, DW’s Richard Walker, Nina Haase and Michaela Küfner are joined by law professor Markus Kotzur to bre…

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Can the EU's Clean Industrial Deal deliver for Europeans? Juggling competitiveness and green goals 11:46

3M ago11:46

11:46

The Green Deal is often seen as the flagship project of the previous EU mandate. But after last year's European elections, in which right-wing parties performed well, the Green Deal was rebranded as the Clean Industrial Deal. There is now more emphasis on industrial revival and competitiveness. MEPs and members of the European Commission say the EU…

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Protecting our furry friends: EU sets first ever minimum standards for dog and cat welfare 12:27

3M ago12:27

12:27

It is estimated that around 44 percent of European citizens keep a pet. MEPs have now set out the first ever minimum standards in the EU for the breeding, housing and handling of cats and dogs. This is because a majority of owners buy their pets online, and traceability has become a big issue. The European Parliament hopes that its draft law will d…

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No-confidence vote: Is the EU Parliament about to break? 41:47

3M ago41:47

41:47

Ursula von der Leyen survived a motion of censure — but not without sustaining damage. In Strasbourg, tensions within her pro-European coalition burst into the open, with allies accusing her party of flirting with the far right (again) and warning they could soon turn on her. In this bumper episode, host Sarah Wheaton — who made the journey to Stra…

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'Helping Ukraine defeat Russia is doable' - Estonia's prepared, not scared 38:25

3M ago38:25

38:25

There are fresh doubts about whether the US President and Europe are on the same page on Ukraine. Why is Europe not using frozen Russian assets? And how worried are the Baltic states that they might become Putin’s next targets? In this episode, DW’s Nina Haase explores these questions with Estonian diplomat Jonatan Vseviov, defense expert Christian…

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Access to documents is crucial for transparency and a strong democracy: EU Ombudswoman 12:08

3M ago12:08

12:08

We host the EU Ombudswoman, former Portuguese politician Teresa Anjinho, who says she aims to make her office the "reference point for integrity issues". The office itself is called the EU Ombudsman, even though it has now been led by two women. It was established in the early 1990s as an independent institution that investigates complaints about p…